15 Healthy Broccoli Recipes (2024)

There are so many reasons to love broccoli and countless delicious ways to prepare it. These Healthy Vegan Broccoli Recipes include options for side dishes, main dishes, and even breakfast!

I know quite a few people who say they don’t like broccoli, but I have to wonder if they just haven’t eaten it served properly. My sister used to proclaim that she was a lifelong broccoli hater, but she changed her tune when she was 47-years-old.

She wanted to try a plant-based diet but was afraid that she couldn’t do it because she didn’t like most vegetables and absolutely hated some of them like broccoli and cauliflower. Come to find out, she just didn’t like them overcooked which was the only way we ate them growing up. To hear more about her transformation to a healthy lifestyle, read her story, From Veggie Hater to Plant-Based.

What is the healthiest way to eat broccoli?

Broccoli is naturally healthy and has many health benefits because it’s low in calories and fat and full of fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

Healthy ways to serve broccoli include:

• Raw- Eat it raw with low-fat dips or in salads.
• Steamed- Steaming it to serve over rice dishes is a simple and terrific option.
• Stir Fries- Use it in oil-free stir-fry dishes that are low in calories and super high in taste!
• Soups- Add it to soups along with other veggies. One of my favorites is Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup.
• Casseroles- I love to add extra nutrition to casseroles, and broccoli is great for that like in this

Whichever way you eat it, just be sure not to overcook it. The texture of broccoli is much better when it’s cooked al dente and still has a little crunch. It turns out, that was my sister’s problem with it. She had only ever eaten broccoli when it was overcooked to mush. Once she tried it prepared correctly and healthfully in a stir-fry, it turns out she actually did like broccoli after all.

Seasoning option to make it taste better

Oftentimes, broccoli can be added to dishes like soups and casseroles, and folks never even realize it’s in there because of all the other flavors of the recipes.

If you want to do something simple like just steam broccoli and serve it over rice or a baked potato, try using some of these seasonings to liven up the flavor.

Seasoning ideas:

• Soy sauce- Adds a warm salty flavor. For those that need a gluten-free option, try amino acids because it tastes very similar to soy sauce but has no gluten.
• Seasonings- Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, season salt, and others add savory warm flavor to steamed broccoli.
• Nutritional yeast- This inactive yeast that is used for healthy seasoning has a cheesy-nutty flavor that pairs extremely well with broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous veggies. I use nutritional yeast in many different recipes.
• Spice- I like a little spicy heat and some great options include chipotle powder, red pepper flakes, or even sriracha sauce.

Whether in soup, salad, casseroles, or stir-fries, you’re going to find some terrific broccoli recipes for everyone in the family on this list.

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

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